The local public health workforce was in crisis before the start of the pandemic, with the National Association for County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) reporting that local health departments have lost 20 percent of their workforce capacity since 2008. The COVID-19 pandemic stretched an already strained workforce, and is only the latest example of how the public health challenges facing our nation have outpaced growth and enhancements to the human infrastructure needed to meet these challenges. New investments by Congress and the Biden Administration in the public health workforce provides counties and local health authorities an opportunity to rebuild and position our communities to be well suited for the next public health emergency. This session will be a discussion of strategies for investing federal dollars in the local public health workforce strategically and sustainably.
